There are several safe and effective ways to dispose of used cooking oil:
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Reuse it: If you plan on frying again soon, consider reusing the oil to cook similarly flavored foods. Strain the oil to remove any food particles and store it in a sealed container until youre ready to use it again.
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Recycle it: Recycling used cooking oil is the best way to dispose of it. It's better for the environment, better for your plumbing, and keeps your employees safe. Contact your local recycling center to see if they accept used cooking oil. If they do, use an empty gallon milk jug to collect the oil and, once full, recycle it.
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Mix with other solid waste materials: Mix the used cooking oil with other solid waste materials such as sawdust, sand, flour, or cat litter. Once the mixture has solidified, you can toss it into the trash.
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Store in glass jars: Store used cooking oil in glass jars before reusing it for another dish. Once you're done frying, leave the used cooking oil in the frying pan to cool down. Once cool enough, carefully transfer it to a glass container and seal the container tightly. Store used cooking oil separately depending on what type of dish you were using the cooking oil with.
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Use as a household lubricant: Used cooking oil is an effective lubricant that can be used for many things around the house from squeaking hinges to troublesome locks. Used cooking oil also helps prevent rust on metal surfaces and objects such as tools.
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Make soap: Used cooking oil can be used as an ingredient in making various types of hand soaps. Along with water and caustic soda flakes, the used oil is a useful ingredient in soap making.
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Power household oil lamps: Household oil lamps can be powered by used cooking oil. The process is quite simple. You need a container, a wick, and a metal lid. The used oil can power the lamp on its own.
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Coat leather furniture and kitchen appliances: Used cooking oil can be coated onto leather furniture to protect it and preserve the material's longevity. The same goes for pots, pans, and other kitchen appliances. Applying used cooking oil on pots and pans after washing them can help prolong their effectiveness.
It's important to never pour used cooking oil down the drain, even if it's mixed with hot water or soap. This can cause clogs and damage to your plumbing system.
